Lost and Alone
by 9witch2
Summary: My version of The Swamp. Zuko and Iroh find themselves stuck in the same swamp as Aang and the others. They're all having strange sightings, but one little girl lost and alone captures two peoples attention. Who is she and why can two people see her?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi, people! What's up? Well, here's my new story. Don't worry, the other chapters will be much longer. Just wanted to get the whole scene set up. The first chapter is always the hardest. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!**

_**Note: This is my version of "The Swamp". Yeah- my own reality. So I thought it would be interesting to put Zuko and Iroh in the mix (Cue wicked grins).**_

**_Summary: Zuko and Iroh are in the same swamp as Aang and the others. Everyone seems to have a strange sighting of those they love. But two of these people both see a little girl, lost and alone. Who is she and why can two people see her? _**

o0oOo0o

Aang leapt to the next tree branch, carrying himself with wind currents. He launched himself off that one and the next one and the next one. But he could never seem to be fast enough. He couldn't catch her. Up ahead, he saw a girl leaping from branch to branch as well. Her white dress billowed behind her. She had her hair done in a bun, bangs framing her face. What appeared to be her pet flying boar flew along beside her, feathered wings flapping. The girl's laughter rang like bells in the Avatar's ears.

"Wait!" Aang called after her. "I want to talk to you!" The girl kept laughing and jumping, never looking back. She didn't even acknowledge the monk was there. Aang took a particularly large leap. He looked up to see which direction the mysterious girl was going. His gaze returned to his jump just in time to see how off course he was. The branch was still three feet away! The airbender fell past the branch, clinging onto the one below. Clawing his way up, the boy lay on his back, breathing hard, looking up. His gray eyes widened.

There was the girl, sitting only a branch above him. There was a wide smile on her pale face. Her light eyes shined. That was the lightest shade of blue the he'd ever seen… Aang stared at her.

"Give up, twinkle toes?" she asked him, hands on her knees. Aang sat up.

"Who are you?"

"You'll have to catch me first!" she called over her shoulder, leaping away. The Avatar jumped up and followed. The branches raced past him and he pushed aside leaves and twigs. He grew tired of this chasing game, but it seemed the only way the girl would tell him who she was was if he caught her. Why he was so interested to know, he hadn't the slightest idea. It was like the Avatar was drawn to her, like he was to the swamp. So Aang kept up the chase despite his screaming lungs.

o0oOo0o

Sokka waded through the water of the swamp, violently slashing at vines with his trusted machete. His blue eyes were narrowed in anger. He mumbled things as he went, movements jerky and troubled. A vine caught his arm and he flailed to get loose, only getting him more tangled.

"Stupid vine! Stupid swamp!" the warrior said angrily, twisting and turning to free himself. He didn't have enough sense to use his blade. He pushed against the demon plant, now plants, entangling him. Sokka fell into a leaning position, held in place by the vines. "This is spectacular! Now what am I supposed to do? Eat the vi—Gah!" The vines snapped and Sokka fell into the shallow water with a splash. When he came up, he shook the bothersome plants from his shoulders, spitting a stream of murky water from his mouth. Stomping on the former trap for good measure, he continued on, muttering about 'man-eating plants from Hades'.

The sooner he found the others the better. He hoped to get out of this death trap before he was an old withered man. He let out a sharp exhale, driving his machete into the trunk of a tree in frustration. "Katara! Aang! Where are you?" he yelled. It took Sokka two hands and his feet on the tree trunk to pull his weapon free. He fell to the soaked ground with a thud.

"Aang! Katara! Can you hear me?" Sokka shouted louder. He forced himself to keep going, thinking of food all the while. He gripped his growling stomach. After his voice was hoarse from an hour of calling to his sister and friend, he collapsed on the ground and just sat there. "Appa! Momo!" _Gods_, he thought, _I must be desperate if I'm calling to a bison and a lemur_. But he did it anyway.

o0oOo0o

Momo chattered at his larger counterpart, flailing his small arms around in the air. Appa grunted indignantly. Their unknown argument had gone on for nearly an hour. It had all started when the lemur had blown the bison whistle. We can only imagine how much that hurt Appa's ears. And we can only imagine the pain poor Momo endured when he was body slammed by Appa's gigantic tail.

The ten ton bison floated through the water, blowing bubbles as he went. The pair suddenly looked up to see people in boats wearing leaves for hats. Appa stopped dead. For a moment, the two parties just stared at each other. Appa didn't speak much human, but when he heard the words 'we only want to eat you' he figured he should get the hell away from them.

o0oOo0o

Katara wandered the swamp alone, soaked to the bone with degusting muddy water. Her chocolate hair was coming free of its braid at its own accord. It stuck to her face. The air was humid and sticky. She felt positively horrible. Where were Aang and Sokka? What had dragged the three away from each other? _Why _had something dragged the trio apart? The waterbender waded through the muck, pushing aside annoying hanging vines as she went.

Suddenly, she came to a halt. Hadn't she been here before? That tree did look pretty familiar...Then again, the swamp had hundreds of trees in it. There could be some that looked very similar. Maybe she was fooling herself. She sighed and continued to trudge on. Her shoes squelched with mud, making her skin crawl. Katara felt horrible. She only wished she could find her brother and friend. Then the trio could find Appa and Momo and leave this horrid place behind them, maybe even laugh at the memory. _Yeah right._ She thought bitterly.

"Sokka!" she yelled, cupping her hands to her face. "Aang!" She listened for a moment, praying for a response. Nothing came. "Sokka! Aang!" The waterbender kept calling, reaching solid ground. Bending what she could from her clothes, she continued on. "Aang! Sokka! Where are you?"

_Snap!_

Katara whipped around, summoning water to her hands for protection. Her eyes were wide. She'd been on edge ever since the group had flown into this place. All of them had agreed there was something rather eerie about it. Being alone only made those feelings stronger. When the girl saw nothing, she only stayed in place, waiting. She didn't trust whatever had made that noise. Her ears strained to hear any movement. And just as she was about to turn back around and plod on, the bushes parted. Leaves were sent flying. Katara screamed an ear-shattering, bloody murder scream.

o0oOo0o

Zuko pushed past the vines of the swamp, muttering under his breath. "Stupid Uncle. Always making _stupid_ suggestions having to do with _stupid_ locals and _stupid_ tea…" The exiled prince tripped on a tree root and fell—hard. He picked himself up, brushing dirt from his brown clothes. He hated being a refugee. He was meant to be a prince. He was supposed to be waited on hand and foot, loved by his people, and spoiled with riches and extravagant clothes. Instead, he'd been deemed a traitor to his nation, hated by his people, and he was dirt poor with peasant's clothing. And he hated his hair growing in! He wanted to wear a topknot, damn it!

The firebender plowed on. "Oh, let's go look at the swamp, meet the locals, see if they have any tea…" Zuko mocked his foolish, plump, tea-drinking uncle. That man and his ideas were going to get the pair killed one day, Zuko had decided. And, oh look, that day might be today. How lovely. Some cursed demon plant had dragged the two apart. And here the teen ex Fire Nation prince was, stuck in a strange swamp with no food or (drinkable) water, covered from head to toe in murky water.

"While we're at it, let's jump off a cliff with rocks at the bottom to break our fall."

o0oOo0o

"Thank you. This tea is delicious." Iroh said, setting the small cup down. It was a leaf, folded in origami. He was currently sitting on an extremely wide tree branch in the center of the swamp. The branch overlooked the rest of the area, bringing once towering green treetops into clear view.

"You're welcome. That was one of the finest teas in the swamp." said another man cheerfully. He was similar in build to the ex-general: short and round. He had no shirt and wore a large leaf for a hat. He gave off a strange smile like he was confused. "Made from the Kukoto plant and dried—well, I doubt you want to know that."

"No! Please, continue." Iroh replied, giving a wave. "I do appreciate good tea and it would be wonderful to know the process." The other man smiled and went on describing were the herbs were dried, for how long, how long to boil it for, and blah, blah, blah. Iroh listened, intrigued with a smile on his face and a spark in his eye. Finally, someone understood his love of tea.

And now we have another Iroh to deal with. Brilliant.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: So how was it? Should I keep it going or ditch it? Got suggestions? Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Yay! Do the happy dance (cue six flags music)! Second chapter! Second chapter! Second chapter! (And I run in circles until I fall over, the end.)**

_Last time: What Sokka and Zuko call "Demon Plants from Hades" pull the two groups apart. Aang sees a girl in a white dress (cough, TOPH, cough), Appa and Momo are being hunted, and Sokka's getting beaten up by vines. Katara is being attacked and Zuko is talking to himself. Oh yeah! And Iroh found a tea buddy. _

_Oh. Boy._

o0oOo0o

Aang kept running after the mysterious girl for at least an hour. Her pace had not slowed much, but the Avatar was finally beginning to tire. His lungs were on fire despite his efforts to breathe as if he were firebending. His legs were burning and growing heavier with each leap. Sweat glistened across his flushed face. Aang wished he could stop but he wanted so badly to know who the girl was. He was _drawn _to her.

Up ahead, she stopped, turning to look at him. Aang was about twenty yards behind. "You're no fun." she mocked. Her tongue stuck out and she gave a little wave before she ducked behind a tree trunk. Her pet boar followed suit. Aang managed to quicken his pace until he reached the tree. Thinking she was still there, he peered around it.

Needless to say, he was surprised she wasn't. The airbender's gray eyes widened. He looked up. No girl. Where was she? He scanned the nearby trees. No girl. He went around the other side of a tree. No girl. Defeated, Aang slipped down on a thick branch for a well deserved break. _Who was she? _Aang asked himself. _And where did she go? It's like she vanished into thin air! _An eerie tingle crept up his spine.

Aang glanced around. Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt like he was being watched.

o0oOo0o

Sokka finally dragged himself to his feet, forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other. The dirt and grime didn't bother him but the plants were absolutely horrible! He wished he could just plow down the entire swamp (A/N: and in the twenty-first century, the swamp became a mall. The end! Ha!). He swung his machete half-heartedly.

Sokka's eyes were half lidded. Gods was he bored! His persistent stomach gave a lurch and gurgled. And was he ever hungry! As he tried to lift his foot from the ground, he found he couldn't. The water tribe boy grumbled and knelt down to pull his shoe from the mud.

"Stupid mud! Stupid swamp! Stupid water! Stupid possessed demon plants!" Sokka growled to himself. He fell out of his shoe, landing face first in the mud. "Great." Wiping his face with his sleeve, he pulled his shoe from its prison and dumped the mud out of it. He hated to admit it but he really wanted a bath right now. Sokka stood and turned. His shoe fell back into the mud but he didn't care. His eyes were wide as he gawked at the sight before him. He found his hand reaching out. "Yue?"

Sure enough, it was Yue. She floated above the ground, clad in white flowing skirts and shawls. A strange white light seemed to surround her. Sokka took a step forward but snapped back into position as she spoke. "You didn't protect me." she said. Her voice was filled with hurt and her eyes wavered. The water tribe warrior felt an ache in his heart.

"I--"

"You didn't protect me. You promised you would." She hovered closer to him. He stepped back, tripping on a root. When he sat up, Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe was nowhere to be seen. Sokka felt his eyes water.

o0oOo0o

"It's a lemu!" one of the men said. He held up a burlap sack triumphantly. Inside it was a catch that was wriggling and chattering. Appa looked over his shoulder to see his little friend in the sack. He wanted to turn back and help Momo, but at the same time those scraggly bearded men would catch him too. The bison could easily take a small group out but this time was different. They were doing things with the water; moving it and controlling it like Katara did. Aang's Spirit Guide didn't want to be caught in that storm.

With a reassuring grunt to Momo, Appa turned and ran as fast as he could.

o0oOo0o

Katara sat on a tree branch, head on her hands. _Is it gone yet? _She thought. The waterbender peered over the edge. _Nope. _Sighing, she sat back and waited some more. Beneath the tree was the cause of her scream: a crocodile. The reptile was just sitting there, jaws open and expecting. _Because you can so clearly see I'm going to dive into your mouth. _Katara said to herself. An hour of sitting in a hard tree was not on her list of things to do.

Yet here she was.

She wished the thing would just float—

"Ugh!" Katara smacked herself in the forehead. Float away! She was a waterbender! Why hadn't she thought of that before? Here she was sitting in a tree to get away from a stupid crocodile when she could be fending it off and then continuing to search for her friends! But there was no use beating herself up over the incident. With a quick movement of her arms, Katara summoned nearby water and washed the predator away. It lay unconscious in the water from the impact. Knowing it wouldn't be knocked out for long, she ran off into the forest.

Twigs and vines pulled at her limbs and clothes, but the bender hurried onward. She ran until her legs were wobbly and her lungs screamed for a break. Sticky sweat covered her, making her clothes stick to her body. The first thing she'd do once she got out of here, she'd decided, was take a nice long bath. And she'd buy a bar of soap from the next marketplace. She couldn't forget the soap. With a disgruntled sigh, she continued on into the woods.

"Aang! Sokka! Can you here me?" she yelled. That was what she called every three minutes or so, hoping someone would answer her. An hour came and went but it seemed to take forever.

The silence was drowning the waterbender. A tingle shot up her spine and she looked around. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt like she was being watched. And then she heard it. Crying. It sounded like someone was crying. Katara listened closer, following the noise to a small clearing. The crying was growing ever louder.

In the clearing, sitting on a pile of leaves, with her head in her hands was a little girl. The waterbender moved closer to her, carefully. The girl didn't look much older than four or five. She was clad in a purple kimono with blue flowers covering it. _Not a nation color… _Katara thought. Her belt was deep red and her hair was brown, similar to Katara's. The girl's small body shook with sobs.

"Are you alright?" the waterbender asked warily. The girl didn't look up.

"I want my mommy." the girl cried. "I want her back." Katara felt a pang in her heart. The poor girl was all alone, tiny, and helpless. The girl's hands eased away from her face, long bangs covering her eyes. She clutched what appeared to be a ribbon in her hand, navy colored silk.

"Where did you last see her?"

"In the swamp. The Fire Nation took her." The girl sniffed. Katara felt a wave of panic wash over her. Fire Nation troops were here? "And I want her back."

"Do you want to come with me?" the waterbender asked. "I'll take care of you."

"Really?" The girl's voice was filled with hope.

"Yes--" Katara stopped when she caught sight of the girl's eyes. They were copper. Like the Fire Nation. She fell backward with a cry of shock. When she sat up, the girl was nowhere to be seen.

o0o0Oo0o

Zuko pushed past the brush of the trees, muttering under his breath. The water was up to his knees and his shoes grew heavy with water. He came to the bank and kicked a plant off of his boot. He glared daggers at it as if it was the source of all his problems. He whipped around and trudged on, shoving twigs, leaves, and vines out of his way. "Uncle!" he yelled, cupping his hands to his face. In the back of his mind, he knew it was rather dim to yell. What if someone else heard him? He'd be on his way to a prison in the Fire Nation, that's what. _Stupid old man. _The firebender said to himself. He's saying his uncle is stupid, but deep down we all know Zuko loves Iroh (cue group "aaawwwww.").

Suddenly, the exiled prince froze. He listened intently, barely breathing. His golden eyes narrowed. He could have sworn… He kept walking. And he heard the noise again. He listened closely. Was that…was that someone crying…? Curious, Zuko followed the noise. He pushed back a final leaf and found the source.

On a pile of leaves sat a small girl, not much older than five. The sunlight shone threw the trees on her spot. The girl had her head in her hands and her little body wracked with sobs. Her kimono, Zuko noticed, was purple—not a nation color and her belt deep red. The flowers on her kimono were red, too; they looked like Fire Lilies from Zuko's home. She didn't seem to notice the newcomer.

Zuko wondered what such a small girl was doing all alone in the forest. Where were her parents? Was that why she was crying? What nation was she from? The bender edged closer. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. He had always had a soft spot for children, no matter how strange it seemed. The girl looked up, eyes puffy from crying. The first thing Zuko noticed was her eyes were golden- like his. _Fire Nation. _He said to himself. His instincts told him to back away; he didn't want the girl to tell someone about him. But he couldn't ignore her. She was a defenseless little girl!

"No." she said, sniffing. "I want my mommy. I want her back." Zuko felt a pang in his chest. He swallowed. He remembered his mother leaving. He never saw her again. "The Fire Nation took her away. She told me to hide so I climbed a tree." The girl's eyes fell. "She didn't even put up a fight." Zuko knelt in front of the girl.

"When?"

"This morning." The scarred boy's eyes widened. How hadn't he been caught yet? Where were the soldiers? The girl looked down; fingering what looked like a ribbon of blue silk. She clutched it in the middle so that her fingers were nearly white. Zuko stared at the girl for a moment before making up his mind.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"Really?" The girl smiled from ear to ear. Zuko nodded.

"Come on." He stood and turned, walking out of the clearing. When he heard no footsteps behind him, he turned. The girl was not there.

o0o0Oo0o

**A/N: Hi people! How was the chappie? I hope you liked it! **

**Oh, and FYI: this fic is gonna be pretty short; maybe only two or three more chapters. Just to let you know…**

**Lol. I'll be lucky if I get to that. I only had four reviews for the first chappie. (tears)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi, people. Sorry for the slow update… not really. I only had three reviews on the last chapter, eight in all. Updates are going to be awfully slow if I don't get reviews. It's a shame because I really enjoy writing this story. **

_Last time: The girl in the white dress has disappeared without a trace. Sokka had a vision of seeing Princess Yue, but she disappeared too. Zuko and Katara share a similar experience with a small girl with brown hair and gold eyes. (And it's safe to assume Iroh is still drinking tea with his weird hippie leaf-wearing earth-child friend.)_

o0oOo0o

The tired Avatar trudged onward through the swamp. He struggled to keep positive and motivated. But somehow, he kept going. One foot in front of the other in front of the other in front of the other. He was exhausted from chasing the mysterious girl and he was soaked from head to toe in muddy water. With a sigh, he plopped onto a seemingly dry patch of land, lying with his back on the ground. Aang's gray eyes couldn't see past all of the plants to the sky. Now he really felt lost. He had always thought he'd be able to see the sky…

Closing his eyes, the airbender breathed deep breaths. They were calm and even. He nearly fell into a state of meditation. King Bumi had said at Omashu that he had to learn to feel the earth… Aang focused as hard as he could and didn't get any response or sign. With a frustrated sigh, he cast his gaze back toward the flourishing treetops. He had felt the swamp try to pull him in, but now he had no connection with it. Why? Had it just been his imagination? Had his old friend been talking in riddles? The Avatar sat in silence for a moment.

"Great." he said sarcastically. He could feel the cold sticky dampness of mud seeping into his clothes. He was too lazy to bend the water out. Besides, he needed to save his energy. Who knew what he could run into out here?

"DEMON PLANTS FROM HADES!" Sokka yelled, trying to twist free from yet another vine. Did that answer Aang's question? The monk sat up with renewed enthusiasm and cheer. Sokka was close by! He airbended himself into a standing position and cupped his hands to his face.

"Sokka!" he called.

"Aang?" The water tribe warrior called back. "Where are you?"

"Follow the sound of my voice." The Avatar moved in the direction Sokka was coming from and soon, the two nearly bumped into each other. "Am I glad to see you!" Aang said, hugging his friend. Sokka gave a sad sort of smile. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." the older boy said, shaking his head. It was obvious he was lying but the twelve year old decided not to push his luck. "Let's go find my sister and Appa and Momo and get out of here." Turning, Sokka swung his machete, cutting vines out of his path.

"Sokka, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why? Do you think plants have feelings?" The warrior's tone was harsh, even for him. As if on cue, two ropes of tangled vines shot toward them.

o0oOo0o

Katara kept walking, looking over her shoulder every so often. She'd searched for the girl, calling for her, but no one answered. Had she imagined seeing her? Was she going crazy? The waterbender swallowed, wringing her hands. Or had the girl left? Maybe she had. But why would she leave? Then again, Katara had overreacted to the girl's copper eyes. The teen stopped and took a deep breath. "Okay, Katara, you're just tired. You're seeing things because you're tired. Now just find Aang and Sokka and you can all get out of here and get some sleep." Even thought the girl found it strange to be talking to herself, it soothed her.

She looked up and froze. There was the same girl, standing by a tree. The girl looked at Katara, eyes shining with tears. "You don't like me." the girl cried. Katara's heart skipped a beat. Was she real?

"No, I do like you. You're eyes just surprised me is all."

"Because they're Fire Nation." Katara didn't know what to say to that. And to her surprise, the girl smiled. "Mommy always said people would be surprised about my eyes. She says I look like an earth or waterbender." The waterbender gave a feeble nod as the girl began walking, leading the way.

"And Daddy says never to forget who I am because my heritage is special." The girl walked along a half buried log. The waterbender didn't get a chance to ask what was so special about her heritage. "I miss Daddy too."

"Where did he go?" Katara asked softly. She secretly wondered if this girl's father had been taken by the Fire Nation as well.

"He left. He had something to take care of but he or Mommy won't tell me." The big log the tiny girl was walking on was getting thicker, rising feet above the soil. Katara watched her carefully.

"What's your name? How old are you?"

"Daddy calls me Lily because of my kimono." she said, pointing to her dress. "They're Fire Lilies and I'm turning seven soon." Without warning, Lily hopped off the end of the log, landing in a crouch position. Katara stood, awestruck. She could have gotten seriously hurt! The girl smiled and kept walking.

"My Daddy teaches me to fight. But Mommy doesn't want me to do firebending until I'm ten." The waterbender followed at a distance. So Lily was a firebender? "You remind me of Mommy. You were worried when I jumped." Lily giggled. But who wouldn't be worried? The teen didn't even notice a vine snake bellow her. She tripped, falling into the mud. When she stood and brushed herself off, she couldn't find the girl. '_Why does this keep happening?'_

o0oOo0o

Zuko looked around, puzzled. Where had that little girl gone? He turned to find her hanging in front of him, upside down on a tree branch. She made a face. "Gotcha!" she cried. Great. Games. The firebender reached out to pull her down, but she flipped down by herself. She landed in a crouch position and stood, smiling. The ex-prince's eyes widened. "My daddy teaches me to fight. But Mommy doesn't want me to firebend until I'm ten." The girl led the way. Zuko was silent. So she was a fighter…This child was going to take a lot of getting used to. They were silent for a while.

"Do you have a name?" Zuko asked, falling behind. The girl didn't seem to mind; she kept walking.

"Daddy calls me Lily 'cause of the Fire Lilies on my kimono." The older bender couldn't help but wonder if that was a nickname or not. The girl called Lily climbed the trunk of a tree up ahead and jumped down into her signature crouch. Zuko winced. The kid would hurt herself one day.

"How old are you?"

"I'm turning seven soon." Lily said, beaming. Zuko noticed she was rather small for her age. He would have guessed her five, maybe six. They walked along in another silence. "You remind me of my Daddy." She said suddenly. "You're quiet. And you're tense." Lily didn't mean it as an insult.

"I get that a lot." Zuko replied, attempting to hide the hint of venom in his voice.

"Are you a firebender?"

"Yes."

"Ooh!" Lily cried, turning. "Will you teach one move? A tiny one? Like lighting a candle?" Her hands were laced and her eyes danced with excitement. The exiled prince was reminded of him as a child, talking to his mother. Zuko couldn't resist the urge to smile.

"Maybe."

"Yay!" Lily twirled, sending her kimono billowing as she went along a narrow path. She seemed so full of hope even to a 'maybe' answer. Zuko watched her twirl about, happy. He couldn't believe this girl and the one crying were one in the same. There was no way… Suddenly, Lily turned. "Wanna have a race?" Zuko looked at her strangely. "To that big tree with the vine hanging down?" This girl and her games… The older firebender agreed and they both took off running. He only jogged to give her a fair chance.

"Hey!" she yelled over his shoulder. "Don't let me win!"

"Fine!" Zuko sprinted past her and the ending point as fast as he could, leaving the little girl in the dust. And when the teen saw a blue blur in front of him, he barely had enough time to stop.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: I know the Zuko part was sort of weird, but yeah. I hope you liked it. If you did, _REVIEW!_ I am not updating until I get at least five frickin' reviews for the chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi, people! I got the five reviews I wanted (does the happy dance)! Wow, five reviews in seven days… that sucks.**

_Last Time: Sokka and Aang meet up, but Sokka won't tell the Avatar what's got him so unhappy. Katara and Zuko have another encounter with the girl, but this time, the girl speaks to them more. The girl's father call's her "Lily" and teaches her how to fight. She is a six-year old firebender. _

o0oOo0o

And when the teen saw a blue blur in front of him, he barely had enough time to stop. Zuko tried desperately to stop, digging his heals into the ground. His efforts failed. He fell on top of the blue blur, both of them tumbling into the ground with a thump. The blue blur cried out. Whether it had been in pain or surprise, the ex-prince didn't know, but he thought he recognized the voice. He saw why when he looked down at the person beneath him. It was the waterbender. Seas of copper and cerulean clashed, both pairs wide in shock. And to think their bodies were so close… "Zuko!" she said in surprise. The young man in question narrowed his eyes as he climbed off of the girl.

"What?"

Katara frowned. He was still irritable. She eyed him. He had changed otherwise, though. His clothes were brown- Earth Nation – and his hair had grown in. It was short and spiked. The waterbender had to admit, she liked the change in the hairstyle. "Nothing." the girl said, blushing. "I was just surprised to see you is all." _Why isn't he attacking me? _She wondered. Silence fell over them like a blanket. The girl grew even more suspicious. "Why aren't you attacking me?" she wondered aloud.

"Because I have nothing to gain from it." Zuko replied, looking at the ground.

"What? I thought you wanted Aang."

"I don't anymore. Even the Avatar can't bring me back my honor." His tone was bitter but the waterbender hinted a small sliver of sorrow. She recalled the night of the pirates when the fire prince had captured her. _…to restore my honor…_ Katara couldn't help but wonder why Zuko had needed Aang in the first place. "What are you doing here?" Their eyes met again.

"I'm looking for my brother and Aang."

Zuko nodded. "I'm looking for my uncle." There was silence for a moment and the ex-prince seemed to be thinking something over. "As long as we're both searching for someone, we might as well search together." The words sounded so strange, but to be saying them was even stranger. Katara's eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was he up to? The firebender rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to try anything. I give you my word." He raised his hand. The girl gave a feeble nod.

"Which way do you want to go?" she asked after another silence. It was so strange to be actually talking to the fire prince… Zuko looked back down the path he'd come, looking for Lily. She wasn't there. Where'd she disappeared to? Did he imagine the whole thing? "What?" Katara asked, noticing the boy was looking for someone.

"Nothing." Zuko dismissed it with a shake of his head.

o0oOo0o

"AAAAHHHH!" Sokka's scream broke the sound barrier. Aang clawed at the ground, trying to break free. He grunted, grabbing hold of a nearby tree trunk. His friend was being dragged away, leaving claw marks in the dirt. The bender closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He released the tree.

When the plant finally let them go, Sokka and Aang stood in battle-ready stances. Their eyes widened with what they saw. There was a giant plant creature towering over them and its long arms dangled into the muddy water below. "DEMON PLANTS FROM HADES!" Sokka screamed. Somehow, it was louder than it had been before. The warrior turned to run, only to be dragged back by a vine from the plant creature. It swung an arm toward Aang, who dodged it. "AANG! HELP!" The Avatar's eyes narrowed and he unleashed a gust of wind, slicing the vines. They lengthened again.

The Avatar threw several more gusts of wind, but the vines he cut seemed to grow back. He kept fighting. He summoned as much water from the swamp as he could, hurling it at the monster. It was blasted backward, but stood up again anyway. Aang waterbended streams of water to cut the vines. He kept blasting it, cutting it, and pushing it while his captured friend screamed. With another aimed cut at the monster, Sokka fell into the water with a splash. The warrior came up sputtering, wielding his machete.

The pair kept fighting, knowing that they couldn't keep this up for long. Aang was tiring fast. There was no telling how much longer he could bend. His waves grew smaller and eventually he had to use more than one gust of wind or more than one stream to cut off a vine. Sokka kept getting bogged down in the mud beneath the water. He was struck by several vines, flying back and leaving the Avatar to fight alone until the water tribe boy managed to pull himself up. After ten minutes of fighting the mysterious creature, Aang caught a glimpse of something inside the vines. Something gray…

With renewed strength, the multi-bender pummeled the monster with enormous waves. Sokka stopped to watch. Aang whipped out more razor waves than he could count, all aiming for the center. With each blow, the boy caught a glimpse of what he'd seen before. Each time he seemed to see a little more. His eyes widened. It was a person. With a final cry and a monstrous wave, the vine-creature was knocked backward.

"Whoever you are, I know you're there. Come out." the Avatar commanded, standing his ground. The vines shriveled and a man crawled out from the center of the mass. He was short and round with a leaf for a hat. His eyes were wide and friendly and his smile stretched from ear to ear.

"Hello." Okay, this man was way too cheerful to be the one attacking them all this time.

o0oOo0o

"So…" Katara trailed off. She didn't know what to say to the fire prince. She just followed behind him, taking long steps to keep up. She hurried to fall into step with him. "Why were you after Aang in the first place?"

"I told you already. To regain my honor." The girl seemed oblivious to his threatening tone. Either that, he realized, or she just didn't care. She pressed on.

"How can you lose your honor?"

Suddenly, Zuko stopped. The waterbender turned toward him with a puzzled look on her face. The ex-prince's fists clenched. "I was challenged to a fire duel by my father, alright? I refused to fight him so he banished me! The only way I could return was if I brought home the Avatar! And my father is the reason I have this scar! Does that answer your question?" he yelled, fire edging his fists. His own father had burned him? Didn't his father have any feelings? He had rejected his own son! Katara swallowed and there were tears in her eyes. The firebender didn't care he'd scared her so badly; she could cry all she wanted. But he didn't expect what happened next.

The girl's arms flew about his neck in a hug. She stood on tip-toes to do it and he was pulled down a bit. Zuko just stood there, awestruck. What the hell was this girl doing? He felt something wet and warm on his neck. Tears? "What the hell are you doing?" the firebender demanded.

"Crying for you." she whispered back. "I'm sorry. All the time you were chasing us, I thought you were just some jerk with no feelings but that…" Katara's voice squeaked. "I've been burned before. I can understand a little bit." Zuko's eyes widened. What? She'd been burned? And a horrible thought struck him. What if he was the one that had burned her? They had been in a lot of fights… Wait, why did he care?

Because she was comforting him, that's why.

"I'm sorry." Katara said again, about to pull away. And Zuko surprised her. He put his arm on her back and hugged her back, pulling her close. Too close. But neither cared. There was just something about this…

"Thank you." Zuko said, letting go quickly. They stared at each other for a moment before the firebender turned and hurried on. Katara stayed a few paces behind. She wouldn't let him know, but she saw a suspicious drop fall from the ground, leaving the spot dark for only a second. Maybe she didn't need to cry for him now.

o0oOo0o

"What the hell! Why are you here?" Sokka said, pulling out his boomerang. Iroh looked up at the water tribe boy with a questioning look.

"My nephew Zuko and I were passing through." Iroh replied, sipping a cup of tea.

"WHAT?" Sokka yelled. "That guy is here?" A pause. "You're his uncle?" Iroh gave a nod as the swamp man sat next to the old firebender.

The swamp man ushered the two boys to sit. They obeyed but Sokka eyed Iroh suspiciously. Aang seemed as carefree as ever. The man went on to explain how people shouldn't attack plants because they're living. This earned Sokka an 'I-told-you-so' look from the Avatar. Then the man told the boys about how you could see people in the swamp. "I'M NOT CRAZY!" both boys shouted at once. They exchanged questioning glances before the man continued. The visions were supposed to be of someone they loved.

"But I don't get it. There was a girl in my vision, but we never met." Aang piped up.

"Time is but an illusion." the man said.

"So I'm going to meet her later?" The Avatar received a nod.

"Do you know where my sister is?" Sokka suddenly cut in.

"Or my nephew?" Iroh added.

The man smiled knowingly. "They still need time in the swamp." There was a serene silence during which they could hear the birds chirping and the sunlight splayed across the leaves of the trees, casting shadows. Then Sokka ruined it.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Hi! I hope you liked the chappie! There's only going to be two or three more. And remember, I won't update until I get at least five reviews. And don't be lazy and say someone else is going to do it—do it yourself!**

**REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi, everyone! Don't come after me with the pitchforks and torches just yet. I have an explanation for the long wait. Several, actually. My mom took my computer away, there was an error in uploading the document, and I had a virus. I could have keeled over and died. No updates for thirteen days… Find a happy place. Find-a-happy-place. Findahappyplace! The good news: I just save a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieco. **

**Just kidding. Here's the story.**

o0oOo0o

Katara followed a silent Zuko into the muddy swamp water, wading into it waist deep. They had been silent for nearly two hour and the exiled prince intended to keep it that way. Dusk was falling fast. He was in no mood for a conversation right now—especially with that waterbender. She confused him. Why had she even cared about his scar? Was he only confusing pity for care? That was it; the girl only pitied him.

Zuko peered over his shoulder to see the girl hurrying to keep up. She was bending some of the muddy water out of the way, looking down in concentration. Sweat beaded on her tan forehead. At this rate, she would pass out from exhaustion within the hour. Zuko wouldn't admit it out loud—he barely admitted it to himself—but this girl was no weakling. She wouldn't tire so quickly for an hour long walk. Something must have happened to her before they discovered one another. He slowed his pace.

"Why are you slowing down?" Katara questioned, short of breath.

"So you can keep up." The reply was short.

"Keep going. I can keep up." the girl insisted. The firebender had to admit he admired her determination.

"No. You need to save your strength. I'm not going to carry you if you pass out from exhaustion." His voice was a little harsher than it had been in the past few weeks. Maybe it was something to do with being around his enemies. Although the girl wasn't really an enemy now that he wasn't chasing after the Avatar any more…

"Like you'd be able to carry me." the waterbender scoffed, bending more water out of the way. "I'm heavier than I look." Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to the girl, who had nearly crashed into him. Tendrils of water fell back to their home in the swamp as she looked up at him with bluer than blue eyes.

"You might be but I'd still be able to--" Zuko picked Katara up, bridal style, "lift you." Katara's eyes were wide as she stared at the exiled prince. She clung to his shoulder like a cat to a post as if afraid of falling. "I'm stronger than I look." the firebender said with a small smirk. He began walking again.

"Wait!" Katara cried. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying you. You said you didn't think I could." Zuko felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. Though this girl seemed a few years younger than him, she did seem rather cute, flailing to get away. He ignored his conscience screaming _'What did you say!' _and kept walking. Katara finally relaxed, letting out a huff of frustration.

They kept going for a while, neither saying a word. The waterbender just looked up at the young man carrying her; he was looking straight ahead, the slightest curve of a smile painted on his face. She smiled to herself. At least the ex-prince wasn't being so sour and trying to capture Aang and throwing streaks of fire like a mad man. He looked sort of cute when he smiled. Wait. What had she just thought? _"I said 'sort of'. It doesn't count." _she said to herself. But all the same, she knew she had thought it. And without thinking, she laid her head on the firebender's chest. It was warm and amazingly muscular. She fought back a smile as he looked down at her. She averted her eyes, pretending to seem interested in the scenery: lots of leafy (demon) trees and murky water. Can't forget the nasty, muddy water. Zuko bit his lip as he felt heat rise in his cheeks. Blushing. He was blushing. His gaze wandered elsewhere, but he felt the girl's eyes on him.

"So where are you and your uncle going?" Katara asked rather slowly.

"Nowhere. We're just trying to find a village for supplies that isn't raided by Fire Nation soldiers." The waterbender felt the rumble in Zuko's chest when he spoke. Then, silence.

"Don't go to Omashu, then. It's crawling with firebenders." More silence. "Why can't you go home anymore? Aang hasn't been captured yet." She felt Zuko's grip around her side tighten slightly.

"I helped the enemy." The firebender's mouth felt suddenly dry.

"What?"

Zuko cleared his throat. "I helped your friend out of a jam once. The Avatar." A pause. "Aang, was it?" Katara nodded, curiosity and confusion clear in her eyes. "Didn't he tell you about the Blue Spirit?"

"What? You're the Blue Spirit?" The waterbender could have fallen over had she been standing on her own two feet. Once she and her brother were well from their strange illness, the Avatar had told them what had happened. Katara had a conniption, vowing she'd never be sick again (subtracting, of course, the fact she was flailing her arms a hundred miles an hour). But the monk had 'accidentally' left out just who the 'spirit' was.

"Yes." Zuko said softly. He suddenly stopped walking and gently placed the water tribe girl on her own two feet. He walked past her without another word, pace back to normal. After a moment, the shocked waterbender sprinted after the young man, falling into step with him. Being stubborn, the firebender quickened his pace even more. Katara did too, jogging to keep up. At least she didn't need to bend water out of the way now that the pair was on dry land.

"Zuko, thank you." she said, out of breath already. The exiled prince stopped dead in his tracks, making the girl stop too. He stared at her, searching her features as if they held an answer. Finally, he snapped to his senses. He began walking again.

"It was for my benefit only. I didn't care about you and your worthless peasant brother." The firebender found it unnerving that she continued to smile. Hadn't she heard his rude remark? More importantly, did she care?

"Or Aang." she added, walking backwards. Zuko stared at her again. "What?" she asked. "Is there something on my face or something?" The firebender shook his head, pushing past his (for lack of better word) companion again. Were girls always worried about their looks? He certainly hadn't thought that water peasant would. After all, the girl didn't seem to wear any makeup or lip paint. The man shuddered as he thought of all of the women back in the Fire Nation that would put white paste all over their faces… And could they gossip! Wait. How did he arrive at that when he was thinking about the waterbender? Wait. He was thinking about the water bender!

Katara was only a few steps behind, remarkably. "I know it was for your own benefit, but it helped us too. So thanks."

Zuko ignored her, stepping over a small hole. He had nearly stepped in it due to the fast falling darkness. "Watch out for that--"

And of course, before he could finish, he heard a 'thump' and an 'Ow!' He stopped, letting out a grunt of frustration. The firebender turned to see the girl on the ground. No surprise there. Clutching her ankle. No surprise there. Crying. What the hell! But sure enough, tears were streaming down her face, her eyes shut so tight, her eyelids wrinkled. Zuko hesitated before kneeling down, laying a hand on her shoulder. She whimpered. And the firebender thought she was strong.

"Twisted or broken?" he asked, no emotion in his voice.

"I don't know." she whimpered.

"Let me see."

"Ow! Don't touch it!"

"I have to!" Zuko snapped, gently lifting her pant leg. He felt the bone and Katara sucked in a big breath of air. "It's only twisted."

"Only?" Katara spat. "Then why does it hurt like hell?" The firebender was taken aback by the girl's tone. The cursing might have had a part in it as well.

"Here. Try to get up." The firebender offered a hand up and the water tribe girl took it. He hoisted her to her feet but she gasped, eyes snapping shut. She fell forward into the fugitive's chest. The man stumbled slightly, ignoring the waterbender's meager apology. Zuko picked her up, bridal style for the second time that day.

"Stop. I'm okay. I just need--"

"You fell over. You're not okay."

"But--"

"No. I'll find us some shelter for the night. Maybe you'll be able to walk in the morning."

"Zuko!"

"Shut up!"

o0oOo0o

"What do they have to do in the swamp?" Sokka asked the Swamp Man for the millionth time. Darkness was falling, and they had seen no sign of his baby sister or of that spoiled (apparently) ex-prince Zuko. He was pacing a gigantic branch of the tree at the center of the forest. The Swamp Man was too talking to the fat man named Iroh about some other tea they were drinking to answer. The man had boxes upon boxes of the stuff.

"Oooh, really? They had that in the Air Nation Temple!" Aang exclaimed. Somehow, the young boy had joined in their boring conversation.

"Are you sure you do not want a cup of tea, boy? It calms the nerves. I bet you Katara and Zuko both are looking for a way to this tree. You can see the whole swamp from here." Iroh said, sipping the ancient tea from the Air Nation. Sokka whipped around. It looked like his blue eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

"You think their together?" The water tribe warrior's hands flew to his hair. Iroh nodded with a smile. Sokka let out a shout, pulling out his warrior's wolf tail and fell on the tree branch.

"Really?" Aang asked, arching a brow. "What do you think they need to find in the swamp, General Iroh?" Was it just Sokka, or was Aang showing respect to a firebender?

Iroh's eyes twinkled as he leaned forward to whisper. "I think they are going to find love."

"WHAT!" Sokka screeched. Birds hidden in the trees scrambled to fly away.

o0oOo0o

"Zuko, could you bring me some water?" the girl asked. She sat with her back against a tree. The firebender nodded, leaving her side to find a half-decent place to get some clearer water. He returned in moments.

"I hope you--" the man froze, watching the girl stream the water from his canteen. She placed it on her ankle and the water circled around it in a glowing blue ring. It disappeared in seconds, leaving water dripping down her ankle. Zuko was beyond confused.

"I think I can walk now." she said, moving to get up. How could she walk? She'd twisted her ankle less than an hour ago! There was no way anyone could heal that fast.

"What? You were just--"

"I healed it." Her response was so simple and straightforward. It only confused the firebender more. "Water healing." she said, holding back a giggle. "I can do it with my bending. Not many benders know they can, but I was taught how to." She was on her feet now, holding onto the tree for balance. Zuko couldn't help but think _Healing my ass. _She still needed support!

"I'm not that great, but it'll do for now." She released her hold on the tree and started walking. With a slight limp, Zuko noticed. She looked over her shoulder. "Coming?" Zuko grumbled under his breath. He kept a slow pace this time.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Hi! I hope you like the chappie! Only a few more left! **

**REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hola, chicos! Wait, is that right? You know what, I'm done with Spanish so I don't care right now. Leave a message after the beep. Anyway, onto the story.**

o0oOo0o

Katara stopped for a moment, leaning against a tree. Sweat beaded on her face and her ankle was throbbing beyond all belief. She suddenly wished she had had the patients to sit and listen to Yagoda in healing classes at the North Pole. She remembered the woman teaching about twists and sprains. That had been the day she lost the fight with Pakku and her concentration was next to nothing. Katara closed her eyes against the darkness. The faint light Zuko was giving off from his firebending faded slightly. He hadn't noticed she had stopped.

But soon enough he had. He came back for her, golden light showering them both. The flame in his palm danced and the waterbender opened her eyes, her gaze toward the flame. It eventually settled on his golden eyes. "Here." he said, turning and kneeling.

"What?"

"Get on my back. I'll carry you."

"No. I'm fine. And besides, if you get exhausted, I wouldn't be able to carry _you_."

Zuko's eyes shut tight in frustration. He fought back a growl. "Fine. Break your ankle by walking on it. I don't care." The man stood, walking further into the forest, taking the light with him. The girl sighed and continued on, grimacing against the pain. As much as it hurt, she didn't want to show weakness by needing his help. That was the sort of thing he would taunt her for later. But half of her wondered why he'd even offered her help. On second thought, why did he even come with her?

A sudden chill ran up the waterbender's spine. She looked around, turning a circle. She didn't know why, but it felt like she was being watched. Katara hurried to catch up to Zuko who was walking with clutched fists. "Zuko?" she said, still looking around.

"What, girl?"

"Doesn't it feel like we're being watched?" she asked, barely noticing what he'd called her. He looked across at the girl with an arched brow. Her blue eyes were scanning the forest around her. Was she paranoid or something?

"No." A simple monotone wasn't helping Katara in the least.

"It does to me. And could you call me Katara? It is my name after all." The waterbender briefly looked the firebender in the eyes. The young man shook his head. She was scared to death and still wanted to be called by her name. _Swoosh. _Katara panicked, jerking around to the bushes. They sat still now, but she could have sworn…

"Stop being paranoid. We aren't the only living things in this forest." the young man said. He didn't spare a glance toward the bushes or the girl; he didn't need to. There was probably some small critter out for a midnight snack and it was nothing to worry about. So why was this girl worrying? Was she scared of the dark? He shook his head. He figured after all this time traveling with the Avatar she'd have been used to the outdoors by now.

Zuko was pulled from his thoughts when a wolf-bat flew overhead, screeching like nothing he'd ever heard. He merely looked up at it, but the girl (what was her name? Katara?) nearly had a heart-attack. She grabbed his hand tight. The firebender swore she clamped off circulation within seconds. He looked down at her. She wasn't looking back, eyes only following the wolf-bat that flew away from Zuko's flame and into the darkness. Her head turned forward again, though she didn't release his hand. The firebender scowled. Just who did she think she was? He opened his mouth to shoot a rude remark, but she spoke first.

"I'm scared." she said, biting one of her nails. Well that wasn't much of a surprise.

"Why? There's nothing out here I can't burn to a crisp or you can't freeze in a block of ice."

"No. There is. Last night, my brother, Aang and I were… Something dragged us apart."

Okay, now Zuko was seeing her point of view. A little bit. But that didn't mean he'd admit it. "What?"

"Plants. Vines." The firebender rolled his eyes. Being in this swamp all day had exhausted her. She was getting delirious from lack of sleep. "I'm serious!" she snapped.

"Alright. Let's just sit for a little while, all right?" The firebender sat on a fallen tree, long and thick. It was half buried at the bottom, sloping up as the narrow trail went on. Katara stopped. That tree looked familiar… And it all came back to her.

"_And Daddy says never to forget who I am because my heritage is special."_

"Zuko?" Katara said feebly. They had gone in a complete circle!

"What?" The annoyance in his voice was obvious.

"Let's go. I'm fine now."

"What?"

"Is that your favorite word? Let's go!" she pulled him up by the hand and pulled him along the path. She really didn't think she should be here… Where had that girl gone, anyway? And had she actually imagined the entire thing? With every hurried step, Katara began to doubt it more and more. They turned down another path to the left, ducking under a low-hanging vine. She swallowed a dry lump in her throat as Zuko wrenched his warm hand from hers.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he exclaimed. "You're being paranoid and there is nothing to be afraid of out here! Just calm down!" He looked back at the vine.

"_To that big tree with the vine hanging down?"_

They'd gone in a complete circle!

A chill ran up his spine. It seemed suddenly colder as if a gust of wind had come by. He saw a shadowy figure come down the path from the side with the vine. Katara screamed and he threw a fireball out of instinct. The fireball missed his target and succeeded in plunging them both into darkness. Zuko lit his fists in flame, stepping in front of the waterbender.

"Wow! Can you show me how to do that?" The noise came from behind them. The two benders whipped around to see the little girl from earlier in the day.

"Lily?" Katara said, nearly fainting. She hadn't imagined it, which meant the girl had been wandering around the forest for half a day all by herself. And it was perilously dark out! Zuko's roaring flames calmed as he knelt down in front of the little girl.

"Where have you been? I couldn't find you." he said. Katara smiled in knowing the young man had some sort of fatherly instinct in him. Wait… He knew her?

"You know her?" the waterbender asked. The firebender turned to face the older girl.

"I ran into her before I ran into you."

"Literally." Lily interjected with a giggle. "Do you like each other?" Zuko's good eye twitched while Katara held back a laugh. Finally, Katara couldn't take it anymore and broke into a fit of laughter. The older firebender only stared at the young girl. "What? I only asked." Lily said with a small shrug. A hint of mischief sparkled in her copper eyes.

"She's young!" Zuko exclaimed, motioning to Katara. The waterbender's laughter instantly ceased. If looks could kill, Zuko's ghost would have been dead.

"I'm fifteen, Zuko!" The ex-prince stared at the waterbender. He hadn't guessed her older than thirteen! What was going on with all of the small-for-their-age people today? Lily started humming while the two elder benders started arguing. This was going to take a while.

o0oOo0o

"Where are they? I can't take it any longer!" Sokka cried, falling on the tree branch. Momo sat on the water tribe warrior's shoulder, chattering. Since nightfall, the group had gone into the small village that was hidden in the swamp. Oddly enough, the group was a bunch of waterbenders that had captured someone important to the Avatar: Momo. After Aang had rescued his pet and they all had a bite to eat, they returned to their post to wait. Zuko and Katara couldn't take that incredibly long.

His blue gaze went back to the other two men and boy that sat huddled around some sort of wooden board game. What had they called it? Pea Chow?

"Use the Lotus Tile." Aang was saying. "It doesn't seem to be that important, but it can set you up for a win with strategy." Iroh threw his arms into the air.

"That is what I have been telling people for years but they never understand! Why, once, I lost my Lotus Tile and…"

Sokka covered his ears. He was tired of all of their stupid talk. They had got bored with their tea and moved onto this game, trying to teach Sokka how to play. That quest was cut short. The game was way too complicated for him, especially with everything on his mind. Was his sister really with that brat of an ex-prince? And would they do like Iroh had predicted and fall in love? He hoped that wherever his sister was, she was not falling for that guy. Maybe if someone else was around to distract them or if they were arguing…

o0oOo0o

And Sokka had both wishes. After about ten minutes of the two older benders arguing, Lily had finally gotten bored. "You know what my uncle would say right now?" she interrupted, looking up at the two. They stopped, staring back at the girl. "He'd say: are you too busy to notice your own ship has set sail?" They both blinked. Lily sighed.

"It _means _are you too busy to notice your friends and family are waiting for you." Her hands were on her hips but she soon arched an eyebrow in thought. "But I don't think he meant that the first time he said it…"

Zuko let out a breath of frustration, smoke filling the air. He walked past both girls and down the path. Katara hurried after him; after all, he had the light. "Lily, come on!" she called over her shoulder. The girl came after them, mumbling to herself, still trying to figure out what her uncle meant by the proverb. The lead firebender soon came to a fork in the road, stopping in his tracks. Before he could even ask, the little girl had stepped forward, pointing to the left.

"Let's go that way." she said. "The big tree is that way and we can see everything from there." Without waiting for agreement, she set off again. Katara chuckled, seeing the expression on Zuko's face. He rolled his eyes, waiting for the waterbender to walk on before he followed.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: I know it seems like my chapters are getting really short. Sorry. I just know what I want to happen and I want it to happen. You know? And I hate making the 'fall in love' thing take like twenty three chapters. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry for the slow review. I just have a ton of family visiting and I'm still taking care of my grandmother. I've had this humongous case of writer's block and my computer still hates me. I hate to sound like I always have an excuse, but I have a life outside of fanfiction. That sucks. I'd write my entire life if I could. **

**I lurve being a FF nerd!**

**Anyway, I'll try to get a couple more chapters written before I go on vacation. **

o0oOo0o

Zuko walked behind the two girls, noting how Katara had slowed a bit. He could almost imagine her grimace in pain from her ankle yet here she was, still trudging through the maze of the swamp. She was determined; he'd give her that much. And stubborn. "Lily, come walk with me." she said. The little girl didn't turn or even stop.

"I'm okay. I like the dark." Was it just him or was the girl avoiding physical contact? Then again, he didn't blame her. He only took that from his mother when he had been Lily's age.

"It's just dangerous out here, so stay close, okay?" There the waterbender went with her motherly instinct.

"Okay."

Suddenly, the waterbender stopped, leaning against a tree. The ex-prince could just barely see her pained expression in the yellow light he gave off from his flame. He shook his head, stopping in front of her. Blue eyes snapped open, looking up to meet his golden ones. Katara smiled a bit, attempting to reassure him she was alright. No luck. She had always been a bad liar. He kneeled in front of her again with his back to her, taking a deep breath. In all honesty, he was getting rather tired—not that he'd admit that.

"Zuko, I'm fine." the girl reassured him.

"No you aren't. Get on."

"You're bound to be tired too. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Katara, get on. You have a mission and if you have a broken ankle, it'll only hinder it." the firebender said matter-of-factly. He sighed when Katara said nothing. "Come on."

Zuko turned to face the girl, but she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were wide as she looked down the path the way Lily had went. Looking in the same direction, he saw no one--only vines snaking toward them. Then he remembered what Katara had said about vines pulling her and her friends apart, when he'd thought she was exhausted. Eyes wide, the firebender stood to fight them off, sure to keep Katara behind him. Flames engulfed his hands as he stood in ready position.

"Zuko, you can't fight them off." Katara's voice was soft and scared.

"Then we'll run." Zuko replied, grabbing her hand and taking off in the opposite direction. The waterbender struggled to keep up, but she did, holding the firebender's hand in a death grip. Chancing a look behind him, the ex-prince saw the vines were going almost as fast as they were, just ten feet behind. Kicking the speed up a notch, he pulled Katara with him. "Hurry up!"

Without warning, the waterbender tripped with a scream. Zuko turned to help get her up but the evil vines reached her first. She screamed again as the vines wrapped around her waist, pulling her back the other way. Fear coursed through her and she reached out to Zuko. "Help!" The firebender dove for her hand, gripping it tight. He pulled with all his might, attempting to break her free. "Don't let go!" she yelled, tears in her eyes.

"I won't!" he reassured her.

Summoning a roaring flame in his free hand, he shot the vines at their base. They retreated with a black burn and released Katara of their tight hold. Zuko hurriedly helped the injured waterbender up. She stood only to fall into the firebender's warm chest. Her features were contorted in pain. "My ankle…" she moaned, tears seeping from her eyes. The ex-prince sat her down again, checking her injury. It still wasn't broken, but she'd twisted it again while running. The firebender tore a length of brown fabric from the bottom of his shirt sleeve, wrapping it around the girl's ankle.

"It won't support it much," he said, tying it, "but it'll help. At least until we find some water." Katara nodded, biting her lip, eyes shut tight.

"Where's Lily?" she asked, eyes opening. Zuko looked back down the path. The little girl was not there. "Oh, gods." Heaving herself up, the waterbender almost collapsed against her companion. She winced. The ex-prince turned, kneeling. The girl got on his back without hesitation. "She's just a girl…"

"We'll find her. Calm down."

o0oOo0o

Aang and Sokka sat on the big tree, knees hugged to their chests. It was dark now and had been for some time. The Avatar had finally gotten worried. Katara was not back yet and neither was Zuko. They both only hoped that if the two had found each other that they had the sense to work together. There was strength in numbers even if there were only two.

The water tribe warrior glanced over at the two old men sitting near the trunk of the tree. They were now playing some other stupid card game or another. Aang had joined in shortly only to lose and sit with Sokka on the branch. The men were quickly losing interest in their petty game. The one called Iroh looked out over the swamp, an unknown emotion in his eyes.

Iroh locked eyes with the water tribe boy, forcing a smile onto his wrinkled face. He was getting worried as well, but he would not let the children know that. They needed someone to be strong for them. "I'm sure your sister is fine. She is a strong waterbender, from what I have seen." the retired general remarked.

"A master." Sokka muttered.

"That is amazing! She--"

Sokka cut off Iroh, brows furrowed. "Just because she's a master doesn't mean she can't be caught off guard." Iroh nodded slowly, smile fading. Aang's face fell further as he rested his head on his knees.

o0oOo0o

"She's all alone out there, Zuko! We have to find her!" Katara exclaimed, eyes begging the firebender. The girl sat on the ground, looking up at Zuko. Said young man sighed, sitting down. Lily had not been found and their calls to her had been futile. The ex-prince had finally insisted that they stop and rest until morning when it would be easier to see the trail. He couldn't firebend for the entire night and he had growing doubts they'd ever see the little girl again. The vines had undoubtedly dragged her off and there was no telling what had happened to her. Zuko had made a guess but didn't want to think about it. There was nothing he could do if his guess was correct.

"It'll be easier to find her in the morning and if we find your friends and my uncle we'll have help." Zuko replied, sitting beside her. Their shoulders brushed, sending a wave of warmth through the waterbender's body. "Besides, even I can't carry you all night." The last part was muttered, but the girl caught it.

"Then I'll walk."

The firebender looked up with a bit of anger in his eyes. "You don't get it, do you? I can't firebend all night to give us light. It'll be easier to see in the morning meaning we won't get lost or go around in more circles. And you'll get some rest before you undoubtedly break you're ankle!"

Katara glared at the firebender. "I won't break my ankle!"

"Forgive me for caring." the firebender mumbled, quieter than before. He turned his head and crossed his arms. The waterbender couldn't believe her ears. Sure, Zuko had cared for her well-being, but admitting it? She swallowed, biting her lip.

"Thanks for that."

"What?" Zuko asked, turning. There he went with his favorite word again.

"I said thanks," Katara repeated, eyes locking with his, "for caring." The firebender looked at down at her, eyes seeming to search for something.

"You're welcome." he said softly, breaking the stare. He put out the light in his palm. "Get some rest."

"Alright."

o0oOo0o

Iroh had lit a flame in his palm to give the group a bit of light. They were all gathered around a small wooden table, silent. Worry and sadness shown in everyone's eyes. Everyone's but the Swamp Man's. He knew the two in the swamp would pull through. He had seen it happen dozens of times before. Deciding to break the silence, he spoke up.

"What did you all encounter in the swamp?" He received no reply. The man turned to Aang.

Without looking up, the Avatar spoke. "A girl in a white dress." He didn't seem too enthused. "I didn't know her." The man nodded.

The man nodded again, turning to Sokka. The water tribe warrior didn't look up either. He turned away before he spoke. "I saw a girl from the Northern Water Tribe. Princess Yue." He looked up at the moon through the thick trees. "She gave up her life to be the Moon Spirit."

"That was brave of her." the Swamp Man replied softly. "You must be proud of her, in any case."

"And sad." Iroh watched the boy. He remembered being there at the North Pole when it had happened. How Admiral Zhao had basically taken the princess away from her love. The war was tearing not only families apart, but what could have been. The general looked up when he was addressed.

"Oh." Iroh said, holding his teacup firmly. "I saw my son." Aang looked up. "He was killed in battle while I held siege on Ba Sing Se." Sokka's eyes widened.

"So you're the general they're always talking about!" the water tribe boy exclaimed. Iroh didn't respond, only looked into his teacup with sadness in his eyes. He wished he had never been able to take over that stronghold. Then maybe he'd still have his son.

No one said anything after that. Not even the Swamp Man.

o0oOo0o

Katara shivered slightly and brought her arms up to rest on her shoulders. When it got cold here, it got _cold._ Zuko looked sideways at her. He knew waterbenders got colder more easily; it was because of their element. Firebenders were naturally warmer. She shivered again, resting her head on the tree trunk. That was when the firebender finally put his arm around her, bringing her close. He said nothing, but allowed his body heat to flow through her veins as well.

The girl's eyes widened. Zuko was hugging her. _'It's only to keep me warm.' _she told herself, but she knew he was hugging her nonetheless. She bit her lip, shifting her position slightly so her head rested on his warm chest. She could hear the _thu-thump _of his heart in her ears. The rhythmic sound soothed her.

The firebender gulped when the waterbender rested her head on his chest. His heart sped and he hoped she didn't notice. He wasn't used to this kind of contact from anyone. Sure he'd snuggled with his mother once upon a time, but this was different.

Katara sniffed, resting her hands on Zuko's shoulders. The firebender's heart sped up again and he could hear it in his ears. Suddenly, she lifted her head. "Are all firebender's this warm?"

"Yes." His voice was slightly off, he noticed. He wasn't the only one.

"I'm glad. I would have frozen to death in no time out here."

"I doubt it." he replied. That was better. He sounded surer of himself. Katara rested her head in the crook of the ex-prince's neck, unknowingly sending a shiver down his spine. He swallowed again. The waterbender closed her eyes, savoring the moment. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked this. Being held in Zuko's strong arms, head rested on his shoulder, no arguments or insults. This was a side of the boy she'd never seen and she definitely liked it.

"Zuko?"

"Hmm?" He had adjusted to the situation and he was now feeling more confident.

A pause. "Thanks for saving me."

"Mmm-hmm." The throaty noise echoed in Katara's ears. She cleared her throat, looking up at him. He opened his eyes, looking down at her. Even in the dark, he could imagine her big blue eyes, full of emotion. And she could imagine his handsome gold ones, sparkling with the ghost of his past.

Before they knew what they were doing, they leaned toward each other, meeting halfway. The kiss was tender and soft, lips barely pressing against each other. It sent waves of electricity through their veins, making them long for more. Zuko deepened the kiss, Katara glad he had dared to. Their lips danced together and—

"I thought you didn't like each other." Startled, they broke apart. Zuko lit a flame in his palm to illuminate the speaker.

"Lily!" Katara exclaimed. "How did you get out of the vines?"

"Firebending." the girl replied with a shrug. "It didn't take much. I'm glad too. I hurt myself." She held out her hand where there was a small red mark. A burn.

"I'll heal it with my waterbending! Come here." Katara said, pulling out her water pouch. The girl shook her head, backing away.

"I'm going to go sleep. I'm tired." The girl turned and sat against another tree across from the other two benders.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep with us?" Katara asked. Zuko's good eye twitched. She made it sound like…

"No. I'll leave you two alone."

o0oOo0o

**A/N: How was it? I had a major case of writer's block for this. I just can't get the "fall in love" thing the way I want it. But I think I did alright. Let me know!**

**REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Yay! Last chappie other than the epilogue! Yay! Spazzes out**

o0oOo0o

Zuko awoke with the sunrise, eyes opening to meet the half-blocked light of the sun. Katara was still fast asleep on his shoulder, face calm. Lily was across the path, curled up in a ball at the base of a tree. One golden eye was open. She was watching the older firebender. Zuko got up carefully while trying hard not to wake up the waterbender. Lily stood as well and stretched. Already, the girl was smiling.

"Good morning." she said with a smile.

"Morning." Zuko replied. He still gave short answers.

"Do you like her?" The girl pointed to Katara. Again with the question… Zuko fought back an uncharacteristic blush. Why did he even kiss the waterbender? _Sure,_ he thought, _she's likeable. Strong, determined, focused, pretty…_ Wait. What had he just thought? Great, now he was thinking things over because of a six year old. He shuddered, remembering how his baby sister was at six. Lily was no where close to being as aggravating as Azula. "Do you?"

Zuko was ripped from his thoughts. He stared at Lily for a moment. "Why do you want to know?"

"I could tell her for you if you wanted."

"No!"

"So you do like her?" Lily asked, pointing toward him with a smirk tugging at her lips. For that split second, the girl did seem rather similar to Azula.

Zuko grumbled. "I guess I do."

"Okay." And with that, Lily sat back down, arms crossed, back to the tree. She'd take that answer. But across the path, Zuko was regretting saying anything to the girl. She seemed to be planning something. He didn't like it. It sent an unwelcome crawling sensation shooting right up his spine.

o0oOo0o

Iroh was (surprisingly) the second person to wake up the next morning. The young Avatar sat out on the end of the branch with his knees held to his chest. There was a sad twinkle in his gray eyes. The retired general got up and slowly made his way over to Aang. He would have gotten there faster, but sleeping on a tree branch was definitely not good for his old joints. _I should not even be traveling so much, _he said to himself. Iroh was retired—he should be sitting at home playing Pai Cho and drinking tea for the rest of his life.

And we are all secretly glad he isn't. At least here he could annoy people with his hobbies.

Aang said nothing as the old firebender sat beside him. He didn't even seem to notice the newcomer. But Iroh spoke. "I'm sure you're friend is fine, Avatar."

"Just call me Aang." Iroh didn't know what to say to that. "And I know Katara can take care of herself, but that doesn't keep me from worrying. She's my best friend."

Iroh knew better. "Perhaps you think of Katara as more than a friend?" Aang looked up, horrified.

"How…?"

"Did I know?" Iroh offered with a small chuckle. Aang nodded. "I'm getting on in my years. I just do."

o0oOo0o

Zuko went off into the swamp, telling Lily he'd be back. The little girl nodded and watched the older firebender disappear into the shadows of the trees. As if on cue, Katara stirred from her sleep. Her blue eyes opened, but closed when she yawned. She scanned the area and noticed the party was missing a person. "Lily, where's Zuko?"

"He went to the bathroom." the girl replied with a shrug. "I think he just wanted to get away from me for a little bit. He was embarrassed."

Katara was curious now. "Zuko embarrassed? Over what?"

Lily giggled. "He likes you." She was like a gossiping little girl.

"What?" Katara couldn't believe her ears. Sure, Zuko had kissed her, but that didn't mean he liked her. Zuko was…Zuko. Wait. "He told you that?" Lily nodded. The waterbender stared at the little girl in front of her in disbelief. Zuko would never tell anyone that, let alone a little girl. Would he?

"I asked him and he said yes." Lily smiled. "He thinks you're pretty." Katara fought to hold back a blush. She was like some boy-crazy teen girl now. Lily giggled again. "Do you like him?"

The waterbender hesitated. Sure, Zuko was strong, determined, and handsome. But would Lily turn right back around and relay this information to Zuko? After all, the girl was six—almost seven, as she would tell you. But if the firebender did know, would it be that bad? She'd already kissed him so he should know. "Yes, I do." Katara bit her lip. Maybe she hadn't made the right choice… This could really blow up in her face.

o0oOo0o

Sokka woke to the ever-present noise of talking. He huffed, and grabbed for his blanket to pull over his ears. It was not there. And one of those voices wasn't familiar. Sitting up, the memories from the past few days came flooding back to the warrior. He groaned inwardly. They were still in that stupid swamp! He wished they could just get out of here. What was taking his sister so long?

"And Sokka said he doesn't mind." Aang was saying. That caught Sokka's attention in a flash. The young Avatar and the retired Fire Nation general were sitting out at the end of the branch. They were looking out over the swamp, deep in conversation. Sokka knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help himself. He'd been mentioned…

"Really?" Iroh arched a brow. "I thought the boy would have been more protective."

Aang shrugged. "I guess not. I mean, this one guy—Jet—Sokka hated him. He didn't want Katara near him."

"But he doesn't mind you being near her?"

"No." Aang replied. Sokka was stumped. Why would he care if Aang was near his sister? "I was asking him for girl advice once and he said he thought Katara liked me too." The water tribe warrior could have fainted. He'd misunderstood the boy back in the village with Aunt Wu! Aang had a crush on Katara!

"Perhaps he thought you were talking about someone else?" Iroh suggested. For once in his life, Sokka was glad the man had said something. For once, he was right. But Aang shook his misunderstanding bald head.

"I don't think so."

o0oOo0o

Zuko came back to find Katara awake, talking to Lily. They were both giggling about something. "But don't worry about boys so soon." Katara was saying. Lily had told the waterbender the story of her first crush and how the boy (Ariko) had been a jerk. He had teased Lily, and for that, she punched him in the face. Lily nodded.

"Boys can be so stupid."

Katara nodded with a smile. She looked up to see Zuko standing at the edge of the path. She gave a small wave. "Hi, Zuko." The firebender in question gave a 'good morning' in response. He came over as Katara stood. "I'll be back." she said, disappearing into the trees herself. That just left the two firebenders alone.

"She likes you." Lily said nearly instantly.

"What?" Zuko didn't believe his ears. As if Katara would like a jerk like him. He had hunted her, her brother, and the Avatar across the entire world. There was no way in said world Katara would ever fall for him. She'd have higher standards. Zuko thought of the waterbender as one of those girls that could pick up tons of guys without even trying. She was witty, funny, adorable… There he went again!

"She likes you." Lily repeated, though it was clear Zuko had heard her the first time. She shrugged. "She thinks you're handsome." Lily rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue as if she were gagging. Zuko ignored the last action and arched a brow. Him, handsome?

"She said that?" He didn't think she had.

"I asked her and she said yes."

The older firebender stared at the girl dumbly. How could anyone like him? Sure, they'd kissed, but they'd just…been caught up in the moment. That was all. Zuko decided not to think on it. That would only make matters worse. He'd worry about this when they all got out of the swamp.

Once Katara returned, Lily led the way. She said she was taking them to the center of the swamp. "See that big tree?" she asked, pointing through the treetops. She got silence as her answer. Which one? They were all huge! "Don't worry. It's there." The two other benders had no choice but to trust the girl.

"How long should this take?" Zuko asked.

"Not long." Lily replied over her shoulder. The older firebender sighed, trudging along behind the two girls.

o0oOo0o

Sokka stood and joined Iroh and Aang on the end of the branch. He played it cool. He didn't want them to know he'd been listening in on their conversation. "What's going on?" the warrior asked, taking a seat. The Avatar and firebender looked up. A grin covered Aang's face.

"Morning Sokka." the boy said. He moved over to make a little more room for his friend. "Nothing really. Just about girls." The multi-bender gave a shrug. Sokka smiled.

"And that girl you liked at Aunt Wu's?" Aang's face grew puzzled. Iroh, sensing what was coming, stood and walked away. This might get bad. "You know who I mean, Aang. What was her name? Meng?" Sokka guessed. Hopefully Aang would get the hint Sokka didn't approve of the Avatar liking his little sister.

"I didn't like her, Sokka." Aang said. So much for wishful thinking.

"Then who were you talking about?"

Aang stopped, realizing what he would have said. _You're sister. _That was a good way to get thrown from a tree. But Sokka would find out sooner or later. The Avatar took a deep breath. "Actually… it's Katara." The statement was barely audible, but the warrior still caught it. And once he actually heard the Avatar say it, it didn't seem so bad. "Sokka, I know you're really protective of her, but I can't help it. I mean--"

Sokka cut off his friend's rant. "It's okay Aang." the warrior said. "I'm okay with it. I mean, I can't protect her forever. She needs to grow up." He gave a shrug. "She's going to want to get married, you know? How's she supposed to do that with me breathing over her shoulder the entire time?" Sokka couldn't explain it, but he felt fine with people liking his sister now. She was growing up and she could handle herself. She was old enough to make her own decisions. He'd leave her love life alone from now on.

And all of a sudden, a voice came from nowhere. "SOKKA! AANG!" Both boys in question looked down to see Katara running through the shallow water to the gigantic tree. But what made Sokka's blood run cold was who was with her. Zuko. And to make things worse, they were holding hands. Technically, Katara was pulling Zuko along by his hand, but this is Sokka we're talking about.

The four people on the tree were bended to the ground in an instant, thanks to Aang's airbending. Katara released Zuko's hand, running to hug her brother. Sokka was nearly tackled by his sister, and Aang did the same as he joined the hug. Iroh had his nephew in a bear hug of doom, blathering on about how much he loved his angry nephew. And yes, Iroh did call Zuko angry. This got him a death glare from said ex-prince.

When the hugs were finished, they all stood around smiling (not Zuko since he doesn't admit things very well) like idiots. Then Katara's smile fell. She whipped around, looking back the way she'd come. "Zuko, where's Lily?" The firebender looked in the same direction.

"I thought she was--"

"Who's Lily?" Iroh asked. He knew whoever the girl was, she was someone they loved (or would love) dearly, but that didn't stop him from wanting to figure out the mystery.

"A little firebending girl." Zuko replied, scanning the trees. "She lost--"

"Oh, she's fine." This time it was the Swamp Man that cut in. Zuko arched a brow at the heavy man.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I live in a village here. But the girl—Lily--" he said, seeing Katara ready to protest, "will be fine. She was staying with us until she wandered off." Sokka rolled his eyes, pulling his sister toward Appa (who had found the gigantic tree the night before).

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang." Sokka said. "I didn't ask for all this trouble or magic," he sent Zuko a death glare, "or perverts holding my sister's hand…"

"Sokka, Zuko saved my life multiple times out there! And he's not a pervert!" Katara stopped walking, glaring her brother in the eye. "He's a human being with feelings that stands up for what he believes in! He's so much more than what you think!" The water behind Katara was splashing around as she threw her arms. Her words were met by silence. Sokka stared at his sister in disbelief.

"Can we just get out of here?" Iroh asked.

"It's not like we're traveling with you!" Sokka yelled.

"Sokka…" Aang said, holding up a finger. "About that…"

o0oOo0o

**A/N: And there you have it. My crappy ending. I hope you liked it! The epilogue will be up soon!**


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

Music boomed outside the Fire Nation palace. It was a chorus of at least a hundred instruments. The musicians were all perfectly synchronized. The beat was fast and pulsing and people danced in the center of the town in celebration. People from all over the world had come to this celebration. It had been ten years since the end of the war.

Ten peaceful years.

Aang, now twenty-two and married, danced in the center of it all with his wife, Toph, the girl from his vision. Somehow, the Avatar had managed to drag her onto the dance floor. Though she had been reluctant at first, she was laughing and having the time of her life with Twinkle Toes (as she still called him). Next to them danced another couple, laughing just as loud and having just as good of a time.

"Zuko!" Katara cried. The Fire Lord in question dipped the waterbender down, kissing her on the lips. He pulled her back up, twirling her and starting the dance over. Katara smiled, eyes sparkling just as bright as the pendant around her neck. It was a purple stone carved with the Fire Nation insignia. Around it were waves, symbolizing the Water Nation. It was her betrothal necklace.

Iroh sat in a chair off to the side, swaying with the music. He smiled as he watched his nephew and niece-in-law dancing. They were having the time of their lives. That day in the swamp had changed them forever, whether they knew it or not. It had happened gradually, so maybe they hadn't noticed. But Iroh had.

After the argument between Sokka and Zuko had settled down, Iroh had coaxed the whole story out of his nephew. About the little girl.

That same little girl now slipped next to Iroh, a pastry in her hand. Her red dress flowed to the floor, sleeves wide. She took a bite of her treat, climbing up on Iroh's lap. "Great Uncle Iroh, tell me the story about the pirates again."

"Princess Azuki, don't you get tired of that story?" Iroh asked, hands around his great-niece's stomach.

"Nu-uh." she said with a shake of her head. So Iroh told her the story.

"And I said: are you too busy to notice your own ship has set sail?" Azuki giggled.

"I like that, uncle." she said. "You want the last bite?" The princess held up the rest of her pastry. Iroh opened his mouth and his great-niece fed it to him.

"Thank you. That was delicious." Azuki giggled again. "Oh, I almost forgot." Iroh reached down beside his chair, pulling up an extravagant package. "Happy sixth birthday, little one." Azuki's copper eyes sparkled as she looked at her gift with wide eyes. She had expressions like her mother. Taking the package, she pulled off the purple ribbon and unwrapped it.

"Fire Lilies!" she exclaimed. She lifted up her present. A purple kimono decorated with blue Fire Lilies. There was a deep red sash for a belt. The little girl hugged her great uncle, leaping off his lap, slipping the kimono on over her dress. She tied the sash and hugged herself. "It's so big!" It was true. The sleeves were enormous and she nearly tripped whenever she walked.

"And the flowers match your necklace." Iroh pointed out. Azuki smiled, grasping her necklace. The pendant was blue, carved in the pattern of waves with a navy strap. It had belonged to Great Gran-Gran. Azuki smiled, hugging her uncle one last time before she weaved her way onto the dance floor.

Iroh smiled.

"Daddy!"

Zuko looked down to see… "Lily?" Katara turned now, smiling.

"It's me, Daddy. Azuki." the princess said. "Look what great uncle got me for my birthday." She held up her arms. Zuko smiled, letting his wife go to pick up his daughter. He couldn't believe he didn't see it before…

"I love you, my little Fire Lily."

"I love you too, Daddy."

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Yay! I finished it just the way I wanted to. And I think I covered all the hints I kept dropping in the story. If you don't get some of them, you really need to pay attention to details. Anyway, I hope you liked the story and I really hope you review!**


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